SEC Championship Edition: SEC Weekend Reaction

Throughout the 2015 SEC football season, Southbound and Down has offered a weekend reaction to each team that played that weekend. Now that the SEC Championship is in the books, it is now time for the SEC Championship edition of Weekend Reaction.

While previous editions of Weekend Reaction have covered up to 14 teams, this week we only have two to cover. With 12 SEC teams having already concluded their season until bowl games arrive, only the SEC Championship contenders were in action. It may seem like the two programs are headed in opposite directions after Florida lost two in a row to actual competition. If you dig a little deeper, however, it is easy to see that both teams should feel good about where they currently stand.

One thing to note before we break down each team is that this is not your big brother’s SEC. The SEC, as a whole, is still the deepest conference in the entire country. All 7 teams from the SEC West became bowl eligible, making it the toughest division in all of college football. While the SEC East is the definition of average, the SEC is still the deepest conference. Bar none.

It is also important to note, though, that the SEC simply is not as dominant as usual this year. This Alabama team is not near Nick Saban’s best and after Ole Miss (who plays hot and cold), it is tough to order the remaining teams. Each team, including Ole Miss, is heavily flawed in at least one way and has made the SEC much more human than in past years.

Is it still the best conference? I think so. But I can see how the argument can be made that other conferences have caught up and possibly surpassed the SEC in 2015. I’m sure I’ll get murdered for that statement. Before you attack me too much, please attempt to remove your yellow and blue sunglasses and take a look around the rest of the country.

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Alabama Crimson Tide:

Alabama is elite this season. The Crimson Tide, however, are not great. It may seem contradictory but it is reality. This is not one of Nick Saban’s three best teams that he has had since being in Tuscaloosa. They may not even crack his top 5. While they won an SEC Championship and will contend for a national championship, that speaks more to the parody and lack of great teams in 2015.

If Treon Harris was a half decent quarterback, he could have carved up the Alabama secondary in the SEC Championship game. No one is questioning Alabama’s front 7, or “front 30” as Jim McElwain called it, as their rush defense is the best part of this team. Their secondary is questionable, however, and the matchup with Michigan State provides intrigue.

Alabama has lost to three quarterbacks the last two seasons: Bo Wallace (Ole Miss), Cardale Jones (Ohio State) and Chad Kelly (Ole Miss). Those three quarterbacks threw one interception — combined. It came in the College Football Playoff matchup from Cardale Jones. If Connor Cook can take care of the ball (he only has 5 interceptions on the season) and complete over half his passes, Alabama could be in trouble.

Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain congratulates Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban (right) following the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Florida 29-15. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Yes I’m laying out why the Crimson Tide should be worried. They are the #2 seed for a reason, however.

Florida Gators

The most annoying thing I keep hearing is that Jim McElwain must not be a quarterback guru. It is a harsh judgment based on only one of his understudy’s performances. McElwain’s track record as an offensive mind and quarterback whisperer, however, is beyond reproach. Yes, Treon Harris played awful. But if you go back and watch the game, McElwain and his offensive staff gave Harris countless open receivers. All he had to do was hit them. The kid has talent, but could not hit anything. You can work on mechanics all day long, Treon Harris simply just does not have “it”.

While Florida fans will wonder “what if” about Will Grier until they’re sick, they should feel great about where this program is headed. Despite the awful offensive performances in the second half of the season and the SEC Championship Game, this team won 10 games. 10. I don’t care that some of those wins were against the likes of Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina. There are teams with much easier schedules that did not approach bowl eligibility.

Jim McElwain has Florida pointed in the right direction. Once he gets a quarterback he can rely on, he could bring the glory days back to Florida — and potentially raise the bar in the SEC East.

Next: College Football Playoff: Alabama-Michigan State the Game to Watch

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